Asus Vivo vs Microsoft Surface

[dandroid]

I'm looking at picking up a new Windows 8 tablet sometime soon. How do you think the ASUS Vivo compares to the Microsoft Surface?

[leeshor]

It may be a little early to tell for sure but I did see a drop test of Surface and I think the Vivo would have survived the face drop test better. Time will tell. If it's made by ASUS I would lean in favor of the Vivo. But that's just me.

Of course there is that infamous ASUS dock.

[zeo]

The Surface survived the drop with no damage, they did about 72 angle drops and it survived all of them. The presenter at the last product demo show was confident enough to drop the Surface from his head height onto the stage floor on purpose to show the audience how confident he was in its construction.

So for build quality it looks to be unmatched... Reviews on the Touch Cover have been good as well. So comes down to your preferences...

The Surface is a 10.6" premium tablet with USB 2.0, MiMo WiFi, Micro HDMI, microSD, etc... Running on Tegra 3. 32GB model is $499 by itself, $599 with the Touch Cover included, $699 for the 64GB with Touch Cover... Alternatively, the Type Cover costs a bit more than the Touch Cover at ~$130.

The Vivo Tab RT is 10.1" and basically similar to the Transformer line and also Tegra 3... Asus decided to provide the Keyboard with the indicated pricing. So if you go that route then just make sure they actually include the Keyboard as originally the plan was to sell it separately and not all the resellers may be updated to the new deal.

The Vivo Tab is 11.6" and switches to Clover Trail ATOM, allowing it to run the full Windows 8 instead of the more limited RT. Added bonus is WACOM pen, but it's the priciest at $799 and you have to buy the Keyboard dock separately for another $199 or nearly $1000 altogether.

But Asus has a cheaper version with the Asus Vivo Tab Smart, it's $499 but it's basically the RT version but with Windows 8 and Clover Trail ATOM. Also it won't be getting a dock, instead it will have a Smart Cover and optional Bluetooth keyboard.

[leeshor]

The surface drop I saw had one of the worst screen shatters they had ever seen. A 4' face drop.

[goodintentions]

Um, guys, who cares about the drop tests? I have never in my life dropped a tablet or computer before. I am right now conflicted between the vivo rt and the vivo 8. Which should I get?

[eejit]

Um, guys, who cares about the drop tests? I have never in my life dropped a tablet or computer before. I am right now conflicted between the vivo rt and the vivo 8. Which should I get?

Not to beat a dead horse, but if you dropped them both. ...get the one fair'd better.
...go alll out-vivo 8.

[goodintentions]

Not to beat a dead horse, but if you dropped them both. ...get the one fair'd better.
...go alll out-vivo 8.

When will the vivo 8 get released? I can't find it anywhere.

[eejit]

Here, (Canada) I'm just starting to see it appear in flyers with the "coming soon" banner slapped on the ad.
May have been these guys.

Edit--yeah they have RT's guess it's the 8 they're waiting on.

[leeshor]

When will the vivo 8 get released? I can't find it anywhere.

Supposedly in January. All the reports I''ve read said 3 months after RT.

[janner43]

This is a difficult one (to try to answer Dan's original question ). On the one hand you have the MS designed & built Surface which should have the better pedigree. With the same manufacturer controlling the hardware & OS, that has for to count for something. Then you have the "cool" factor of the actual, heavily marketed, Surface brand/device.

Against that you have the different type of dock that the Asus offers - but at a higher price, maybe? All in all, I would struggle to make a decision without actually seeing them both, having a long look at them "in the flesh" and seeing which one I liked more. Sometimes these decisions come down to a subjective, rather than objective view.

If you are spending that sort of money, I think you ought to get something that gives you a buzz because you own it.

I doubt I've helped much, but some thought provokers, perhaps.